Champions League semi-final LIVE! Real Madrid v Bayern Munich

Welcome to The Independent's live coverage of this Champions League semi-final first-leg tie between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich at the Bernabeu.

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FT: Real Madrid 1-0 Bayern Munich

Benzema (19) scored for Real

Bale came on as a sub for Ronaldo in the 73rd minute

Match kicked off at 7.45pm

4/23/2014 5:45:35 PM

3rd & 7 37yd

3rd & 7 37yd

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Roll up, roll up...team news time

Cristiano Ronaldo starts for Real Madrid. The holder of the Ballon d'Or had been sidelined for the past three weeks due to a knee injury. The £86m Welsh wizard Gareth Bale had been suffering from a bout of 'flu and is on the bench.

For Bayern, both goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and striker Mario Mandzukic return to starting XI from the team that beat Eintracht Braunschweig 2-0 in the Bundesliga on Sunday.

They buy players who run a lot and who run fast. They have four of them. [Angel] Di Maria, [Gareth] Bale, Cristiano and [Karim] Benzema, and if you give them space then they can kill you. It's not easy to play against them but we will try to defend as best we can and play our game.

Just the five minutes to go until kick off at the Bernabeu, the clash of the titans edges ever near...

4/23/2014 6:40:21 PM

1 min: Howard Webb gets us under way, and it's the away side who start proceedings.

4/23/2014 6:46:15 PM

3 min: Benzema pulls the ball down from a great height, delightful touch. He tries to put in Di Maria but Alaba cuts it out. Both teams making a cautious start. Not as cautious as Mourinho's Chelsea last night, but cautious all the same...

4/23/2014 6:48:39 PM

5 min: Kroos pings in the corner for Bayern but Pepe heads clear. Bayern keeping the brunt of possession so far. Are they fazed by the cauldron of noise that is the Bernabeu? No chance.

4/23/2014 6:51:59 PM

8 min: All Bayern in the opening stages. They have not stopping passing. Their movement bewildering the home side, but a distinct lack of incision means no chances created yet.

15 min: A glimmer of hope for Madrid. Coentrao with a quick pass to Benzema, who is through on goal...but the offside flag goes up. First encouraging sign of the game for the home side.

4/23/2014 7:02:10 PM

GOAL! REAL MADRID 1-0 BAYERN MUNICH (Benzema 19)

How against the run of play was that? A fine break from Real sees Ronaldo pass to Coentrao, who fires a low pass across the box for Benzema to finish from close range. Possession really doesn't matter when you've got an attack as clinical as Real's.

4/23/2014 7:04:12 PM

19 min: And just after the goal, Real charge forward again. Ronaldo gets a header on target but it's right at Neuer. How this game has changed dramatically in the first 20 minutes..

26 min: What a miss! Benzema puts the ball across to Ronaldo, who is clear on goal, but he scuffs his effort over. To be fair to the Ballon d'Or holder, the ball did bounce up a bit before he made the connection. He looks absolutely devastated to have missed, high standards.

28 min: Di Maria chips in a free-kick but the move comes to nothing. Bayern still look shell-shocked.

4/23/2014 7:15:57 PM

30 mins: Half an hour gone, and the game has flown by. Bayern now back to keeping possession. The Germans win a corner, but Benzema clears.

4/23/2014 7:18:22 PM

35 min: Nice work from Robben and Rafinha down the right, the Brazilian puts in the cross but it can't find a team-mate. Robben then powers forward again, cuts the ball back and attempts a shot from the edge of the area but he scoops it over.

4/23/2014 7:21:56 PM

38 min: Another corner for Bayern, Kroos and Ribery combine and the former plays it short to Robben to fire a shot at goal, but Alonso makes the block. What an absorbing half we've had.

4/23/2014 7:24:54 PM

40 min: What a miss! Ronaldo crosses to Di Maria in the area, he controls it on his chest before shooting a half-volley, but the Argentinian skies his effort over. Fantastic opportunity to go in to the break 2-0 up there.

HT: While Bayern have enjoyed a whopping 75% of the possession, Real Madrid have had far more impact in their 15% chunk. Guardiola spoke of his fear about Real's speed before the match and he was proved correct . Benzema, Ronaldo and Di Maria all had chances from the counter-attack, although Benzema was the only one to put his opportunity away.

4/23/2014 7:34:45 PM

46 min: Real Madrid begin the second half. Has Guardiola masterminded a game-plan for the second period?

53 min: Kroos' cross to deflected but Casillas tips it over. Real happy to sit deep and break on the counter-attack.

4/23/2014 7:56:38 PM

55 min: The Bernabeu crowd are calling for Bale, one supporter has even made their own Speedy Gonzalez sign in tribute. He's on the bench because he has been struck down by the 'flu, but with Real enjoying much success on the counter-attack, the game is set up for the £86m Welshman, even if he is only half fit..

4/23/2014 8:01:05 PM

60 min: Kroos with the free-kick, it's invitingly chipped into the area but Alonso heads clear. Robben then breaks at speed, Ramos not keen on making the challenge, he gets his shot away but it's a tame effort and Casillas easily saves.

4/23/2014 8:04:32 PM

63 min: Sharp turn from Ronaldo, he looks to put Benzema in on goal but Dante makes the interception. Real beginning to look menacing again...

4/23/2014 8:07:42 PM

65 min: Robben gets into some space for Bayern down the right wing but there's no runners into the area. No incision at all for Bayern, the opposite of Real. They break straight away and Ronaldo gets a shot at goal but Neuer saves. It was straight at him, mind.

4/23/2014 8:11:35 PM

70 min: Again Bayern attack down the right. Have they forgotten that Ribery is on the other wing? Rafinha eventually attempts a shot, but his effort is blocked.

4/23/2014 8:14:27 PM

73 min: Usain Bale is on...in place of Ronaldo, who had returned from three weeks out with a knee injury. Flu or no flu, the £86m Welshman is on!

4/23/2014 8:16:55 PM

74 min: Ribery is also off, Gotze has replaced him. Big changes all round as we approach the final 15 minutes.

4/23/2014 8:18:48 PM

77 min: Bale gets on the ball for the first time. He fires in a low cross from the left but it's cut out.

4/23/2014 8:21:08 PM

80 min: Chance for Bayern! Gotze charges forward, and lays the ball into the path of fellow substitute Muller, who thrashes his effort at goal but it goes wide. Best chance of the half for Bayern, who still look they are playing like they think they are in the lead.

84 min: Chance for Bayern! Now Muller plays in Gotzes, he's clear against Casillas, but smashes his shot at the 'keeper. What a chance to get that vial away goal for Bayern...

4/23/2014 8:27:31 PM

88 min: Bale on the run again, this time it's down the right wing, he twists and turns before firing a cross in but it hits the side netting. Bayern just cannot handle him...

4/23/2014 8:31:40 PM

90 min: The board goes up and four added minutes remain. Can Bayern deliver a late sucker punch and get that all-important away goal?

4/23/2014 8:33:14 PM

91 min: Muller heads across to Mandzukic, he turns and looks to score from close range but was he caught by Alonso? Howard Webb waves away Bayern's protests. Guardiola gives an angry stare from the dugout but the Englishman looks to have made the correct call there.

4/23/2014 8:36:22 PM

FT: And the final whistle goes! Advantage Real Madrid. Bayern may have had the lion's share of possession but more chances went to Real. They meet again on Tuesday at the Allianz Arena, but with Real looking so menacing on the counter-attack, Guardiola will have his work cut out for the second-leg. He has just watched a team he has managed lose at the Bernabeu for the first time.